In his TED talk, Sergey Brin of Google shares the idea that motivated the development of Google Glass: that while smartphones inherently take us away from experiencing the real world, a device could allow for a digitally-mediated experience within it. “This position you just saw me in – looking down at my phone – that’s one of the reasons behind this project, Project Glass,” he says, hunching over his phone. “We ultimately question if this is the ultimate future of how you want to connect to other people in your life, how you want to connect to information. Should it be by walking around looking down? Is this what you were meant to do with your body?”

Yesterday, Google announced that it was stopping the Google Glass Explorer Program, which let curious software developers buy a pair for $1,500. Many interpreted this as the company rolling back on this vision, but Google assured that they were doing it to focus on “future versions of Glass.” They said that Google Glass was “graduating from Google[x] labs” to become its own team at Google. “We’re thrilled to be moving even more from concept to reality,” the company’s blog post stated.

TED’s media team was invited to the Explorer Program after a team member attended Google I/O in 2013. So several people in the TED office took Google Glass for an early test drive. Here is what they had to say at the time:

Several members of the TED staff try on Google Glass. Michael Glass (top left) and Isaac Wayton (bottom right), who road tested it the longest, give their impressions of the new device.

Michael Glass, then our Director of Film + Video, had this to say after test-driving the new device.

“Whatever its oddities and awkwardnesses, this is the first step in getting to that HUD Terminator experience that captured so many imaginations 30 years ago. If we had given up on the cell phone because its first users looked like schmucks holding up big grey bricks to their ears, we would never have met the iPhone or Nexus 4 or Droid DNA or Galaxy S4 or whatever your dream phone is,” he said. “The bit that blows my mind is its integration with Google Hangouts although to be honest it’s not been particularly useful in any specific way. Then again, neither was E=MC2. It’s mostly a toy right now, which is all the more reason to play with it. I think Google is smart to be humble and not cram the thing full of tools and functions — the crowd will figure out the most interesting ways to use it; they just needed to make the first leap into the hardware.”

His biggest complaint: “My last name is Glass and I walk around saying, ‘Okay Glass’ to activate the main menu.”

TED editor Isaac Wayton also tested out Google Glass.

“I really like the idea of Glass, in theory, but I’m worried that it’s a technology that will promote selfish user behaviors rather than real life human interactions. Also, since I need to wear prescription glasses — and couldn’t wear both Glass and my pair at the same time — I wasn’t able to see the tiny, projected screen very well,” he says. “That said, it is an amazing piece of technology and it deserves further development because I am sure that people will also find intelligent uses for Glass to help people in the real world.”

The bottom line: he looks forward to a version that somehow attaches to existing glasses.

And TED’s Product Development Director Thaniya Keereepart had this to say: “One thing that’s been exceptionally interesting for me about Glass is the user interface. We’ve become accustomed to using our hands to ‘touch’ a device in order to control it — it’s evolved from a keyboard to a mouse to a touchpad. With Glass, you have a very different UI constraint to how information is controlled and revealed. That Star Trek future where we speak to a computer that Hollywood had been dreaming of for decades has arrived, and I think it’s here to stay. On photos and videos — I think people over time will come to value first-person recording more and more. Filming babies and children seem to be one of the more popular things to do via Glass for a reason — it’s personal. It’s the memory recorded exactly how you see it. Removing the barrier between your eyes, a recording device, and the subject, makes the filming experience much more about you and your child.”

She sums it up saying, “I agree with Michael that this device is merely the first step in the evolution of smart wearable computers. Its purpose and value, in my opinion, is to trigger our imagination and creativity.”

Where Google Glass will go from here, no one knows. But here is a TEDYouth talk that shows where it started. In it, Tom Chi – who was on the team that developed Glass – shares how the invention was rapid prototyped in a single day. He tells how team members solved problems and eliminated dud ideas by mocking up the design using clay, paper, modeling wire, binder clips, hairbands and chopsticks.

This piece originally ran on May 17, 2013. It was updated on January 17, 2015, when Google announced it was halting the Glass Explorer Program.

Google cofounder Sergey Brin returns to the TED stage this morning to show off Google Glass, a hands-free, voice-activated augmented-reality headset from Google. To take a picture while you’re wearing Glass, say “take picture.” Done. “When we started Google 15 years ago,” Brin says, “my vision was that information would come to you as you […]

In its most recent September issue, Vogue offers a futuristic vision of fashion that blurs the line between gadget and accessory. A 12-page spread titled “The Final Frontier” features models wearing Oscar de la Renta and Gucci, gazing out over a space age landscape, taking in the view through the lenses of Google Glass. The […]

Comments (26)

I wonder if Google Glass has thought of merging the technology of Polyvision switchable privacy glass and the daVinci surgical robot with their product? This could open the door for several applications from business confidentiality to virtual reality communities with the privacy glass. In time Google could expand their technology into a virtual interaction usage that uses the current technology found in the daVinci surgical robot used in heart surgeries. This can be developed to be used in the fields of private business, medical industry and the military.

ubertechmediacommented on May 17 2013

This is a new, rapidly evolving technology trend: Field of Vision Computing. It’s not going to go away, just like the cell phone didn’t go away. There will be lots of pain and lots of change but the idea of augmenting our daily lives with rich data, allow us to capture moments, and most importantly, do it with our hands free, is radically and fundamentally transforming. Of course, the best way to do that? Put that experience into our field of vision (or slightly off to the side).

I disagree Jason. Anything like this around the eyes and head will at the very least, be a big distraction with time. The weight on your face will be another factor and does google have scientists and doctors, guaranteeing, that the low levels of radiation will do no harm over time?

Here’s another test, for those that wear glasses, cut out a small piece of tape and stick it to one of your lenses, but off to the side and maybe lower on the lens and go about your everyday work and play. Also, tape about a one ounce piece of something, on your stem.

I don’t think google would purposely hurt anyone, I just don’t think they thought it through as carefully as they should have. I believe the thought was there and then they just tried to stay on a positive track. The concept is really cool by the way, but it may be best for google to find some niche to fill with the technology, besides the glasses.

Put your cell as close as the glass on google glass and squint your one eye as much as possible, to try and focus on the words. I would also say, do you feel the heat, the intensity of light and might we also be experiencing the low levels of radiation?

Isn’t G-Glasses just a viewer, are not a phone? I would imagine the image’s focus point is at a reasonable distance, so you are not looking at an image that appears close. Also I don’t see why the display couldn’t sense your eye’s focal point and adjust the image to appear at that distance. As for radiation, it would be substantially lower then using any other cell phone, as you do not have a microwave transmitter against your head. It, I think, is akin to Blue Tooth, using a short-wavelength radio transmitter.

Elliot, from what I’ve read and seen, I don’t believe its just a viewer. As to the focus point, I really don’t know, but that’s a good point. Long term exposure to even very small amounts right at the head and eye area might not be something you want for your children. You wouldn’t want your children to be used as guinea pigs would you?

In another industry, they are selling a tool that puts off microwaves, that has been shown to burn material and as microwaves can and do bounce, that leaves the operators of these new, expensive tools, touted by the controllers of that industry, to the general public, in essence, implying to the public, that any not using this new technology are behind the times and should be avoided, even though none of them use this technology.

I challenged the industry to have a doctor declare it was safe for short and or long term use. Did you know microwaves can damage the cones in your eyes? Can it also harden your arteries and more? The industry doesn’t care, it just wants money and destroying people’s lives means nothing to them.

Remember when your mom or dad would say, don’t do that, your eyes may stay that way?
Remember when they would say, don’t sit too close to the tv?
There are good reasons for such. I bet having google glass right up to your eye, will be bad for both eyes over time. Consider, one eye is focusing right in front of the eye, which will create strain, while the other is essentially, left out of the picture, not to mention any radiation.
I believe some will experience a sickening feeling, with just short usage, but hey, lets wait and see.

Here’s a test for you. Hold your cell phone as close to one eye as you can, while being able to read the words and see how you feel and what you think.

Yes, the cell is likely a lot stronger, depending on how sensitive each person is to this, but also consider long term possibilities.